Solomon's Temple (1)

The First Jewish Temple

Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

1 Kings 6:1-14

King James Version (KJV)

6 And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month Zif, which is the second month, that he began to build the house of the Lord.

2 And the house which king Solomon built for the Lord, the length thereof was threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof twenty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits.

3 And the porch before the temple of the house, twenty cubits was the length thereof, according to the breadth of the house; and ten cubits was the breadth thereof before the house.

4 And for the house he made windows of narrow lights.

5 And against the wall of the house he built chambers round about, against the walls of the house round about, both of the temple and of the oracle: and he made chambers round about:

6 The nethermost chamber was five cubits broad, and the middle was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad: for without in the wall of the house he made narrowed rests round about, that the beams should not be fastened in the walls of the house.

7 And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building.

8 The door for the middle chamber was in the right side of the house: and they went up with winding stairs into the middle chamber, and out of the middle into the third.

9 So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.

10 And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.

11 And the word of the Lord came to Solomon, saying,

12 Concerning this house which thou art in building, if thou wilt walk in my statutes, and execute my judgments, and keep all my commandments to walk in them; then will I perform my word with thee, which I spake unto David thy father:

13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.

14 So Solomon built the house, and finished it.

According to the Hebrew Bible, Solomon’s Temple, was the first temple the Israelites built for God. Built in Jerusalem, and called The First Temple, it was divided into three important areas: the Most Holy Place, the Holy Place and the Outer Courtyard. The Bible says that the Lord said to Solomon, “I have consecrated this temple by putting my Name there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there” (1 King 9:3).

6:1-38 It is interesting to note that the temple was built some 400 years after the tabernacle and stood for about 400 years before being destroyed in 586 a.c.  It took approximately 30,000 Israelites and 150,000 Canaanites only seven years to complete the construction of the temple. 

6:1Even though the meaning of this verse is in dispute, it still provides a chronological anchor to give us a general perspective as to the chronological relationship of biblical events.  The exact date of this verse cannot be established because there is uncertainty as to when the beginning of the reign of Solomon is to be dated.  The fourth year of Solomon’s reign is regarded by many to be about 960 B.C.  In that case the Exodus could have occurred about 1440 B.C.

6:2 A cubit was approximately 18 inches; therefore, the temple was about 90 feet long by 30 feet wide by 45 feet tall.  These dimensions exactly doubled those of the tabernacle of Moses.

6: 13 Here the Lord explains the reason for the temple.  God wanted to dwell among His people. 

Playwright Janet Irene Thomas

Founder/President/CEO

Bible Stories Theatre of

Fine & Performing Arts

info@biblestoriestheatre.org

www.biblestoriestheatre.org